technicolor
by glitteratii
Summary: Ellen Walker's life had existed in black and white until a set of twinkling blue eyes pulled her world into vivid color. (Backstory to Ellen and Albus's relationship from A Glint of White and A Vision in Grey) Fem!Allen, Noah!Allen, OOC and blatant disregard for canon.


**1887**

* * *

The first time they met, Albus Dumbledore was nothing but a small boy with bright eyes and an even brighter smile.

It was the summer of 1887 and her travels had brought her to a small magical village by the name of Mould-On-The-Wold. It was a quiet, sweet little town and sincerely somewhere that she might see herself staying for a few days while she planned her next move. After all, it was never wise to remain in one spot for too long. That was how silly girls on the run got caught, after all.

She'd bought herself a simple lunch at the market with the bit of wizarding coins that she had left and headed out towards the outskirts of town. There was a nice meadow near the town's church with a large tree where she could rest and enjoy her meal as the locals had suggested. So she'd tossed her bag over her shoulder and hiked her way over. As she was sitting there, she could admit to herself that the villagers had been right. It was a lovely spot where she could relax and allow the gentle breeze to brush over her.

Not even five minutes had passed before she heard the grass rustling, her instincts causing her to freeze. She peeked behind the tree with her wand at the ready for anything that was to come. Instead, she found herself grinning at the small redheaded boy that was trying to sneak up the hill.

"Hullo there," she called out, giggling when the boy jumped in surprise. "You're a bit aways from home, aren't you?"

The boy pouted as he pointed off towards the church. " S'not _that_ far away, m' house is just over there."

She couldn't help but smile at his sweet face. "Does your mummy know where you are, little boy?"

"M' name's not little boy!" He argued. "It's Albus Perciv'l Wulf'ic Brian Dumbledore!"

"Well, I'm very sorry Mister Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." She teased. "Such a long name for a small boy."

Albus scuffed the ground with the toe of his shoe. "You dun have to say the whole thing, you can just call m' Albus."

"Very well _Albus_ , it seems like I've bought far too much to eat at the market and I fear that I might just burst if I were to eat all of it. Would you like to help me eat some of this?" She asked, seeing the boy's eyes light up.

He plopped down on the grass next to her and eagerly accepted the mound of bread and cheese that she handed over to him. The two of them sat for a short while, enjoying the simple act of sharing a meal together. It took a moment but once Albus became comfortable with her, he had an endless amount of things to tell her. He talked about his younger brother and his two year old sister, and all the games that they liked to play together. Albus declared that his sister would be even more fun as soon as she could run and play like the rest of them, but he really liked helping his mummy do her hair.

She simply nodded and watched the innocent joy that just radiated out of the boy. How lovely it must be to still be so untouched by the cruelties for the world.

After he finally ran out of stories to tell her, he looked up at her with a curious frown on his face. "Miss Lady, what's y'r name anyways? You never tol' me."

"Ah," She exclaimed quietly as a gust of wind blew by, "I've always been rather fond of Allen."

"Y'r name's Ellen?" Albus asked, having misheard her.

A grin spread across her face as she considered the name. It was so close to what her beloved Mana had named her, yet far enough away from what the Earl had called her. "Yes, that's it. My name is Ellen, Ellen Walker."

The church bells started to ring loudly at that moment, causing the boy to jump up. "Oh no, Mummy tol' me I gotta go ta church with her!"

Ellen giggled loudly. "Run along, little Albus. You don't want to be late."

He took off running down the hill carefully before turning around at the base of it. Albus cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted. "Thank ya for the food, Miss Ellen!"

All she did was wave goodbye as she watched him run towards the church where a small family was waiting outside. He jumped up and down and pointed in the direction of the tree, waving his hands as he excitedly told them some story. Albus was a sweet boy and he'd brightened up her day a great deal and even given her the gift of a new name.

She stood and gathered her things, setting off towards the inn she was staying at. She took once last glance at the tree, and for the first time since she fled the Black Order, Ellen Walker could see herself coming back to a place.

* * *

 **1890**

* * *

It was another three years before Ellen Walker would find herself back in Mould-On-The-Wold. She'd had a rather tiring run in with a coven of vampires in Milan and after all of that excitement, all she wanted to do was relax and spend a quiet week in the countryside. Whenever she was thinking of where to run, the image of a hillside and brilliant blue eyes popped into her head and before she knew it she was taking a Floo to the small British village.

Nothing had really changed in the years that she had been gone. She hadn't stayed longer than a month, so the majority of the people there had forgotten her face and the ones that recognized her still could not place where it was they knew her from.

Ellen spent her first few days away from the hill that had drawn her back to the town, instead taking her time to speak to some of the older witches and learn whatever magic they were willing to pass down to a perfectly good stranger. There was one woman, a delicate old woman in a chair with grayed hair but the most brilliant pair of blue eyes by the name of Elspeth. Ellen had quickly learned that while Elspeth might be old and refined to her wheeled chair, she had a sharp wit and an even sharper tongue.

"Those grandsons of mine spend their days mucking up trouble," She'd griped to Ellen one afternoon, "Always bursting with natural magic. I keep telling that mother of theirs that they're going to catch the attention of the Muggles, but no one listens to their elders anymore. You seem like a smart young woman, always remember we old lot have lived and learned more than you."

With her mouth twitching with the urge to grin, Ellen had simply nodded and smiled as the woman only a few years older than herself lectured her. She spent hours that day with Elspeth, listening and learning all that she had to say until a young boy came bursting through the door. "Nan, Aberforth got locked in your cupboard _again_!"

The old lady shook her head and wheeled out of the room quickly, muttering under her breath as she left Ellen alone with the same boy she'd met on the hill all those years ago.

Ellen smiled widely. "I should have known that Elspeth was your nan, you've got her eyes, Mister Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

"Miss Ellen?" questioned Albus, his eyes wide. "You came back!"

"Well, of course I did! You see, there was this adorable little wizard that I met and I thought I'd come visit him again."

He shot across the room and wrapped his arms around her in a hug before Ellen could even register what was happening. She smiled to herself and hugged the child closer. It had been so long since she'd felt a gentle human touch and she reveled in the fact that she was able to indulge in such a simple thing. After just a moment the boy pulled away and stared up at her with those bright blue eyes, a gap-toothed smile on his face.

Ellen ruffled his hair. "Now, what kind of trouble are you getting into now?"

"It wasn't me, it was Aberforth!" protested Albus immediately. "I told him that we shouldn't mess around but he said there were biscuits in the cupboard!"

She giggled and continued to listen to the elaborate tale that the young boy was weaving about the endeavor to retrieve the biscuits, pouring a cup of tea for the both of them. There were parts of the story that made her pause, something to do with a goat that the older Dumbledore brother seemed to be very fond of? Toward the end, Albus cut himself off suddenly and looked at her suspiciously. "Miss Ellen, you're a witch, right?"

"I suppose you could say that," Ellen smiled. "Don't worry Mister Dumbledore, you aren't breaking the Statute of Secrecy with me."

His eyes lit up even more, if that was possible. "Does that mean you got to go to Hogwarts? I get to go next year! Aberforth says when _he_ goes, he's going to be in Ravenclaw, but if you ask me, he's not as brilliant as he likes to think. What kind of Ravenclaw gets stuck in a cupboard?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint, but I didn't get to go to school like the rest of you. I had a teacher that I lived with and he taught me." Ellen lied quickly. The thought of Master Cross sent a pang through her heart, awakening a sadness that she hadn't felt in such a long time. Albus was close to the age that she was when Mana had left her and Cross had promptly found her. All she could wish for the boy was that he never had to feel that kind of pain. "What about your sister? You haven't mentioned her."

Albus huffed and looked down. "Ariana is so _boring_ , she just wants to play in the garden with her flowers."

"Be kind to her," Ellen cautioned. "Family is a precious thing, my dear. The love that people have for each other is the most powerful magic of all."

"What do you mean?" asked Albus. "You can't do a spell with _love_ , that's rubbish."

She laughed at the look on his face. "Oh, you are right. There is no spell to cast with love But magic is not all charms and curses. Look around you, it's around us in every moment of the day. The world is magic. You are far too brilliant to limit yourself with silly spells."

The boy didn't move for a moment. If she hadn't seen the slow movement of his shoulders, Ellen wouldn't have been sure that he was even breathing. It was like she could see his mind connecting the dots all at once. She opened her mouth to respond to him when it happened. Everything around her faded, just the sound of her beating heart filling her ears. Then gradually she heard another heart beating in the distance, a steady beat that she would recognize anywhere.

 _Noah_.

Ellen stood quickly and placed her empty teacup on the table and reached over to place her hands on Albus' face. "You'll have to tell Elspeth that I'm so sorry for darting off, but I cannot be here right now. Be good for your mummy and daddy, okay?"

She let go of the boy once he nodded and dragged an Ark gate open, uncaring of what the child might see. She opened one of the glowing doors and stepped in when something made her stop. Ellen glanced back at the boy that was staring at her in wonder. She knew that her eyes were the bright gold of the Noah in that moment, but she could not bring herself to fully suppress her true form.

"Albus, do another thing for me. If you see anyone with eyes like mine, I want you to run until they can't find you. Promise me this."

"I-I promise Miss Ellen!"

"It was nice seeing you, Mister Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." Ellen smiled bitterly, the Ark gates closing behind her with a slam. She leaned up against the nearest house in the Ark, staring up at the always raining sky. Never again, she swore to herself, never again would she return to Mould-On-The-Wold.

* * *

 **1896**

* * *

Godric's Hollow was a nice place.

It was a charming little wizarding village in the West Country. She'd blown in to town that morning in search of a woman by the name of Bathilda Bagshot. One of Ellen's brokers had informed her that the woman was writing a book on magical history and sadly, it was something that Ellen had to prevent. It wouldn't do for the Holy War and the Black Order to ever be included in wizarding history. As much as it hurt her to have to erase every trace of her own life and history, she had to.

That story belonged to the Bookmen, wherever in the world they were hiding now. She smiled to herself, an image of bright red hair and a single green eye flashing through her mind. It was times like this that made her wonder what had happened to the ones that she loved. She'd vanished so quickly after the final battle that she never truly got to say her goodbyes to the people that were once like her family.

How had they handled the disbanding of the Black Order? Had they just gone to their respective corners of the globe with their obligations to the Church finished? Or did the Vatican do it's best to erase them as it had any record of the Clan of Noah?

This particular visit hadn't been the first time that Ellen had been to Godric's Hollow. There was a memory, fading as it might be. A report of Innocence in the area that she and Lavi had been sent out to investigate. Of course, it had just ended up being the wizards that were causing the 'strange instances'. The village hadn't changed a bit since the last time she was there. That was the charming thing about the wizarding community. They were slow to change so one always knew what to expect when it came to wizards.

She walked quietly up to the village square and stared up at the ancient church. It was just as she had left it the last time, the silver cross of the Black Order sitting proudly over the door. A warning to akuma that this place was protected by the holy warriors. Ellen laughed quietly, that certainly wasn't a problem that they had to deal with anymore.

Her feet led her up to the old wooden door, pushing it open with a loud creak. The interior of the church was just as she remember, from the pews to the dusty stained glass windows letting a dim stream of light in. The only thing that she didn't remember was the auburn haired boy sitting in the back, his head pressed to his folded hands as he prayed in an almost desperate manner. Her loud entrance hadn't pulled him out of his murmured pleas. Poor lad, she thought, God knew how many times she had been in his very position.

Ellen lifted her skirts easily and made her way down the pew, sitting next to him and bowing her head in her own silent prayer. His whispers stopped, but he pressed his head into his hands even harder as if that would help God to hear whatever he was saying better. It took a lot out of Ellen to not laugh while she prayed. The boy's god must have been furious in that moment, for one of his discarded children of Noah dared to step foot onto holy land.

They must have sat there for a good half hour while the boy prayed until he finally leaned back against the pew, his hands pressed into his eyes as if in an effort not to cry. Ellen slowly, gently placed her hand on the boy's shoulder. "Do you feel better now?"

"I'm supposed to say yes," the boy looked over at her with shining blue eyes, "aren't I miss - wait, Miss Ellen? Is that you?"

This time she didn't hold back her laughter. "Oh dear, Mister Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, look how much you've grown. You look near a proper man now."

Albus blinked the few tears in his eyes away. "I thought you were a dream...you never came back."

"People like me never stay in one place for long," Ellen smiled sweetly, "But that is neither here nor there. You must be what, sixteen years old now? Only yesterday you were a wee thing."

"Fifteen," said Albus, "Miss Ellen, you look the same. How is that even possible?"

She laughed and ruffled his hair just as she had that day they met so many years ago. "Oh Albus, you still love asking questions, don't you? You should be careful, those questions are going to get you into trouble one day."

Albus huffed and crossed his arms. "That doesn't answer my question."

"I suppose that it didn't." replied Ellen. "Funny how that happens, isn't it? What brings you to Godric's Hollow anyhow? You're very far from home."

"This is home now, ever since Da..." Albus trailed off. "We had to leave. It's just Mum now, everyone says that Da is going to die in that place. They say it's what he deserves, but..."

Ellen reached over, grabbed his hand and squeezed. "What is right and what is wrong doesn't change what is in our hearts. It's okay to love your father, Albus. You can love the person without having to love their actions."

At that he kind of scoffed and pulled away, but Ellen held tight. "I know, who am I to tell you anything? I've been where you are, young Albus. My father was a terrible man. He hurt many people and he never once felt bad for the pain that his actions caused. But despite all of that, he was still the man that took me in. He was the one that kissed my scrapes and bruises and read to me every night. It can be hard to reconcile the person you love with the things that they chose to do. But still, I loved my father and I love him still even though he is long gone from this world."

"How? How do you stop being so angry?"

She smiled hollowly at him and thought. She thought of Mana and his warmth, of the Earl and his cruelty. "You give yourself time. It has taken me a great many years to heal from the hurt that my father caused, but given enough time, you will heal too. You are still so young Albus, I promise that this will pass."

Albus merely sighed in response and leaned back up against the bench, but not for a second did he release the grip that he had on Ellen's hand. She could see it for what it was, the lifeline that he was desperately trying to hold onto lest he drift away into his own thoughts. Every instinct of hers begged her to embrace him and never let him go. Ellen saw so much of her younger self in the boy. He was brilliant and kind, but he walked around as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was the kind of boy that wanted to help everyone it seemed.

They stayed on that pew for God knows how long, letting the silence speak for them. The local priest moseyed around the church at one point, eyeing them until he came to the decision that the young couple wasn't up to any funny business. Finally, Ellen rose and stretched her arms above her head as the church bells started to ring.

She looked down at Albus with a warm grin. "Now I don't know about you, but I don't fancy staying for the whole service. Be a gentleman and escort me through town? I fear that I'll never find Mrs. Bagshot's home if I search myself. I've always had a terrible sense of direction."

Albus appeared relieved as he all but jumped up from the pew, offering Ellen his arm. He led her out of the church and into the warm summer afternoon. "What brings you to see old Bathilda? We don't get too many visitors around here."

"I heard she was writing a book of magical history," Ellen giggled. "I like to fancy myself a bit of a historian, so I thought I could help her out."

"That's rather kind of you, Miss Ellen." said Albus. "It's hard to find good people these days. Everyone's just looking out for themselves."

A twinge of guilt struck through her, but she shook it off. A quick Obliviate and the woman wouldn't even know what she had forgotten. "Ah yes, well, enough about me. How are you enjoying Hogwarts? I remember you being so very excited about it last time we met."

Albus's face lit up at the mention of Hogwarts and before she knew it, he was regaling her with tales of his adventures and lessons with his friends. It seemed that he'd had some trouble adjusting to Gryffindor at first due to the reputation his father had acquired, but after so many years Albus was blossoming. He definitely had a knack for transfiguration with the way that he went on and on about the subject. She couldn't help but smile as he talked. Albus really had started to come into his own and for some reason she was so immensely proud of him. Over the years, she'd forced herself not to get attached to any humans. Their lives were so short and she had no interest in watching her loved ones die a slow, inevitable death.

But there was something about Albus that made her want to wait and watch.

They came to a stop in front of a two-storied cottage with a delightful bunch of flowers out front. The whole house just screamed of magic and Ellen knew that this was what she was searching for. She turned to Albus with a sweet smile on her face. "I'm assuming this is Mrs. Bagshot's home?"

"It is." He confirmed as he let go of her arm, stepping back with a polite smile. "I'm glad I could be of assistance to such a lovely lady."

Ellen let out a genuine laugh at that. "Oh Albus, you don't have to wear that face around me. I heard your prayers, so please don't pretend."

His face went paper white and he stepped close to her, his wand begging to twitch towards his wand. "I don't know what you mean, Miss Ellen."

"Of course, I'm just talking nonsense." Ellen patted his cheek gently. "Thank you for being such a dear today. I would have been hopelessly lost without you."

She stepped away and towards Bagshot's home, but Albus grabbed her by the arm before she could even reach the painted wooden gate. The fear was gone, determination sitting in it's place. He pulled her closer and smiled. "Miss Ellen, I have to ask, will you ever come back?"

"I-I..." She stuttered, Albus shaking his head.

"It doesn't have to be very often, not even once a year." He almost begged her. "Just tell me you'll come back."

Ellen looked up at Albus and into the brilliant blue eyes she'd first seen so many years ago, and her choice was made. "When the sun reaches it's peak on the summer solstice, search for me under the silver cross. I cannot promise you that I will be there every year, but I will try."

"Write to me then." He said desperately. "If you can't visit, please write."

"I will."

"That's all I ask." Albus smiled and let her go. "I'll see you on the solstice, Miss Ellen."

"And I you, Mister Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

Ellen watched as the boy walked away, his hands shoved in his robe pockets and whistling a cheerful tune that she had not yet heard. She carefully slid her wand into her holster and approached the charming little cottage. As interesting as Albus was, she had a purpose in Godric's Hollow and it was time for her to fulfill it.

* * *

 **1899**

* * *

It had been a long two years since Ellen had last come to Godric's Hollow. The last time she'd set foot in the wizarding village, it was to accomplish a goal and she'd fled as soon as the deed was done. This time though, this time was different. For the first time in almost one hundred years, she was returning to a place because of someone she had met. Someone that she could almost see herself calling a friend, if that was possible for a creature like her.

But she'd made a promise to young Albus, and she intended on keeping that promise.

The sun was almost at it's peak by the time she walked into Godric's Hollow. The solstice was proving to be a mild one and for once she was not sweating through the thick layers of her dress. Oh, how Ellen longed for the days when she got away with wearing trousers. The Black Order had always been somewhat understanding in that regard.

It was much busier than the last time she'd visited. Of course, her previous visit was on a slow spring day when most would have been taking their afternoon naps. This however, was the summer solstice. Many of the smaller wizarding towns and their people still worshiped their pagan gods and celebrated the holidays accordingly. People were bustling about the town square busy with their preparations for Litha. Ellen could see the great structure for the bonfire that was to be lit that evening as well as people arranging altars through their open doors. The fields surrounding the village were prospering and the crops growing as high as ever. And at the edge of it all was the old church, ignored on that day in favor of Litha's celebrations and rituals. There were not many near the church but if Ellen squinted, she could see a head of auburn hair standing beneath where the silver cross hanged.

A wide grin spread across her face unprovoked and she gathered her skirts up to keep them out of her way as she pushed past the people in the square quickly. Relief flooded her as soon as she made eye contact with young Albus waiting just where she had told him to those years ago. His face was almost surprised, as if he hadn't expected for her to show up. The boy, no, he was a young man now, reached over to grab someone's attention and pointed over at Ellen.

Standing next to Albus was a tall, thin man around his age. From the distance she could see him shaking his head as Albus pointed more urgently, as if he didn't believe what the other man was saying. Ellen forced away the frown that threatened to overtake her face. Something about the man was already putting her on edge. But he must have been someone that Albus trusted for him to invite the other young man along on their solstice meeting.

The man was tall and thin, his face appearing even more narrow than it was with how it was surrounded by his long dark blonde hair. He stood rather stiffly, his arms held behind his back as he looked down at her with cold blue eyes. Still, Ellen dropped into a quick curtsy before him and smiled. "Hullo, I'm Ellen Walker. I assume you are a friend of Albus?"

"Gellert Grindelwald." He said shortly, turning back to face Albus with a smirk across his face. "I must say, I had my doubts about her appearing. It was been a few years, has it not Miss Ellen?"

Ellen smiled tightly. "I don't often return to the same place, but I felt it would be rude to miss seeing Albus for a third year in a row. He's told me so much in our letters that I had to see more for myself."

Before the situation could escalate or become more awkward, Albus stepped between them. "We should get away from all of this noise, don't you think?"

She simply nodded and took the arm that Albus offered her. The three of them set out through the town square, past all of the bustling activities and people. It was strange, Ellen thought to herself. To the outside eye the three of them looked like any regular group of teenagers off to enjoy the solstice. A boy and his lady, chaperoned by a close friend. If only that was anywhere close to the truth. Her hand itched with the desire to yank it away from Albus and she could feel the angry, jealous stares that Gellert was shooting them every couple minutes.

Their journey took them past the town square and towards the outskirts of town. In the distance Ellen could see the townsfolk beginning to build the traditional bonfire of Litha. It wouldn't be too long before the entire village was gathered at the enormous fire, dancing to the beat of the drums with the smell of ash settling over their skin. She was hit by the memory of such an event in her youth, in the days before she was sold to the circus. Many of the children at the orphanage hated the nuns and the religion that was forced on them, and as such would sneak out every solstice to perform the rituals they vaguely remembered their parents doing.

Those nights were the only ones where she ever felt like she truly belonged with the other children.

As lost in her thoughts as she was, Ellen didn't notice they had walked far from the town to the bluebell covered hills that lay beyond. Waiting for them was a simple blanket and meal, undoubtedly conjured up by one of the wizards escorting her. She smiled up at Albus. "Mister Dumbledore, this is such a treat!"

Albus laughed and stepped away from her to settle himself down on the blanket next to Gellert. "It was really nothing, Miss Ellen. We dine here often."

She gathered up her ridiculous skirts once more and attempted to sit down on the ground gracefully, before giving up and collapsing into a rather unladylike heap to the amusement of the two young men watching her. Ellen huffed loudly, "What gentlemen you are, watching a lady struggle like this!"

The three stared at each other before bursting into laughter. It seemed the ice had been sufficiently broken by Ellen's eternal struggle with skirts and corsets. Albus reached into the basket waiting for them and started to set the food out. Ellen eagerly accepted and drank some of the warm, sweet red wine that appeared from the seemingly small basket. Ah, how delightful magic could be!

"So, Miss Ellen," Gellert looked over at her slyly. "Albus and I have been theorizing lately as to what exactly you are. I've heard his stories of your eternal youth. He says your one of the fae, I think you're just clever with your glamour charms."

Laughter spilled out of her before she could think to stop it. "Please, you two have to stop with the 'Miss Ellen', you'll make me feel my age if you aren't careful."

"There you go again, not answering anything." Albus cheekily pointed out, dodging the flower Ellen tossed at him in response.

She leaned back on one hand and took a deep sip of her wine, staring at them blankly. "Does it truly matter what kind of creature I am? I haven't come here to harm anyone or anything, I'm just a simple traveler visiting a friend she made along the way."

Gellert smiled at her in that strangely empty way of his. "Perhaps we are just curious for curiousness sake? If I were Albus, I would have demanded answers years ago."

"Has anyone ever told you that some things are not worth knowing?" Ellen pointed out. "There are people out in this world that would kill to know where and what I am. Is your curiosity worth your life?"

"Please, Miss Ellen. You can trust us." Brilliant blue eyes stared over at her and suddenly she was 16 and so, so lonely again. Desperate for someone to confide in, someone to trust. So desperate that she fell face-first into the tangled web of Adam's plots.

She sighed heavily. "I'll tell you what, you two tell me whatever it is that you've been plotting and I'll tell you who I am. Don't even try to deny it."

The boys looked at each other for a long moment before Albus nodded at Gellert, who turned to her with the most open expression she'd seen him wear yet. "We're going to change the wizarding world for the greater good. Together we'll gather the Deathly Hallows and finally end the blight that the Statute of Secrecy has created. Imagine a world, Miss Ellen, a world where wizards and muggles can walk side by side without a second thought. A better world."

His eyes were bright and his cheeks were flushed with the passion that he spoke with. In that moment, Ellen could see why Albus was so fond of this stiff, cold wizard. Still, for one to seek the Deathly Hallows was to seek the power over death itself... Something about it set off warning bells in the back of her mind.

"That certainly would be an ideal world." Ellen answered diplomatically, painting her 'Black Order gala' smile across her face. "An ambitious task for such young men."

"I believe in us." Albus grinned. "Now, I believe you have a question to finally answer."

Ellen sighed deeply. "You'll never give up, will you?"

"Never!"

"You know, I've been called many things in my lifetime." Ellen explained as she rose from her spot, brushing the bits of grass off of her skirt. "I've been called daughter, orphan, exorcist, warrior, lover, sister, and traitor; I've been all of those things and so, so much more."

She smiled softly as a gate rose from the ground behind her, the brilliant white light shining around her like a halo. Ellen pulled open the door and placed a single foot inside of her Ark before turning back to them with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "However, I think the most important thing they've ever called me was _Noah_."

The door slammed shut behind her and vanished, leaving only her discarded wine glass and the whisper of her confession in their ears as evidence that she was ever there. Albus Dumbledore could not help the wide grin that spread across his face though.

He looked up at the sky with equally blue eyes. "I'll see you soon, Miss Noah."

* * *

 **1934**

* * *

Albus Dumbledore would never get tired of the beauty of Hogwarts. It did not matter all of the years that he had been teaching, for as he settled into his private room and readied his classroom for the coming year, he felt the same type of giddy excitement that he had when he was 11 years old waiting to be sorted. It was just as Headmaster Dippet said, Hogwarts would always be his home.

He leaned against his desk and stared out at the empty classroom in front of him. In just a few short weeks this classroom would be filled with students of all ages, eager and willing to learn everything he had to teach them about the art of Transfiguration. Albus ran his hand through his once bright auburn hair, now more gray than red. As eager as he was for the year to begin, there was a feeling weighing heavy in his heart. Something dark was brewing across the continent.

A loud knock on the door startled him out of his reverie. To his surprise, the Astronomy teacher poked his head inside. "Hullo Dumbledore! A couple of the lads and I are headed down to the Three Broomsticks for a pint, why don't you come along? It can't be good for you to stay surrounded by dusty tomes all day."

Despite his best judgement, Albus found himself agreeing to the invitation and before he knew it he was shoved inside a tiny booth in the corner of the pub surrounded by Goshawk and his painfully loud mates. Still, he did his best to try to match the energy of the men around him. They reminded him of his fellow Gryffindors, bold and apologetic about that fact; Albus had always had trouble fitting in during his youth and it seemed like his tenure would not be much different.

He came back to himself as he was roughly jostled by the man sitting next to him as he hooted at whatever woman must have caught his eye. He resisted the urge to cringe at their behavior. Did none of those men have mothers of their own...?

"-mbledore? Dumbledore, are you seeing this?" One of the men loudly called, catching the professor's attention. The man motioned over towards the bar with his drink. "Little bird over there, you think she's of age yet?"

Another one of them men laughed crudely. "Like that's stopped you before Rosier!"

Albus ignored their jibing and peered over towards the bar to see what poor girl had lent herself their attention. There were quite a few people in the crowded pub, many of them sitting along the bar waiting for the bartender to fetch their drinks. At the very end was tiny sprout of a girl, all pale skin and reddish-brown hair down her back with a delicate red cloak wrapped around herself. There was an air of quiet that seemed to surround her and set her apart from the rest of the patrons of The Three Broomsticks.

The girl finally seemed to notice their loud hooting and staring as she turned to face him. Her face was small and pixie-like, and _oh so familiar._ Bright silver eyes widened and a grin spread across her face as she hopped off of her barstool and headed towards the group, drink in hand.

Albus's acquaintances fell damn near silent as she approached them, whispering to each other to figure out who it could have been to catch her attention. Her grin was wide as she downed her Firewhisky before setting down on the table and sticking her hand out to shake Albus's hand.

"It's been a while, hasn't it Mister Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore?" Ellen laughed as he shook her hand.

He chuckled despite himself. "It's Professor Dumbledore now, Miss Ellen."

"Still with the Miss Ellen!" She pouted. "From what I can see, you're the one with all the gray hairs."

Before Albus could even reply, Ellen turned towards Goshawk with a sweet smile on her face. "I'm sorry to trouble you sirs, but do you think I can steal Professor Dumbledore away for a bit? It's been so long since I last saw him and there is so much I have to tell him!"

Goshawk looked her up and down with a smirk. "Anything for a lovely lady such as yourself. C'mon lads, let Dumbledore through."

They parted like the Red Sea and finally, _finally_ allowed Albus to escape the booth that had trapped him for so long. He shook hands with all of the men that were there, making shallow promises to catch up before informing Goshawk that he would still be returning to the castle so there was no need to wait up for him. Ellen took the arm that he offered and the pair quickly found themselves exiting the pub. Once they were on the streets of Hogsmeade, Ellen burst into rather unladylike cackles.

"I don't think I've ever seen a bloke look so uncomfortable in a pub before!" She guffawed at him.

Albus bumped her gently with his shoulder. "There is never a moment of peace with you, is there?"

"That would be rather boring, would it not?" Ellen teased gently before leaning back and taking in his appearance. "You look good Albus, maturity suits you."

"I would say likewise but you remain the same as always. The long hair is a newer addition." He said as they walked towards the outskirts of the wizarding town. The pair remained jovial for the remainder of their walk, exchanging gentle jabs and teasing laughter as they reacquainted themselves with each other. It wasn't until they were far off the well-beaten path to Hogwarts that Ellen dropped her smile, gray eyes flickering gold for just a moment.

She released Albus's arm and leaned against a nearby tree with a heavy sigh. "I must apologize, I'm afraid this visit isn't just to catch up with old friends."

"I expected as such." Albus admitted. "You tend to show up at pivotal moments in my life. This is about Gellert, is it not?"

"His following grows with each passing day. I hear whispers wherever I go of what he does. Of his cruelty, his thirst for power." Ellen stepped away from the tree and stared up into Albus's eyes. "You are the only one that has the ability to stop him Albus. You know him better than anyone else on this cursed earth."

He stepped away from her. "I haven't seen Gellert since Ariana...How are you even _involved_ in this, Ellen? This isn't your world. Did you believe that I wouldn't do my best to find out what the Noah are, what the Noah have _done_ to humanity?"

Ellen stiffened for a moment, her face hardening as she stepped even closer; her voice was soft but her words firm. "There is so much that you still don't know. I know that it's easy to see me as a monster, but in your heart you know that is not what I am. Now I'm going to ask you as a friend, help the world. Do what others cannot."

"Don't ask for what I can't give."

"Can't or won't?" Ellen whispered to him. "I know you loved him Albus, I know you love him still. But someone needs to stop him before he burns this world to ashes for the damned greater good!"

Albus pulled away from her like he had been slapped. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Her face dropped in disappointment before it softened. "I forget how stubborn humans can be. Though, I suppose you've always been like this, even when you were small."

The pair of them stood there in silence, the words that they could not speak hanging heavily between them. It was like time had come to a stop yet was speeding by them. All there was was the sound of the gentle wind whistling though the trees, the birds chirping as they soared through the air above them. The world was silent in the same way that a storm is calm just before it unleashes chaos upon those who least expect it. Somehow they knew that they had reached a crossroads. All that was left was to decide which way they were meant to go.

"What happened to us?" Ellen whispered brokenly. "How did we end up here?"

His smile was as close to bitter at Albus Dumbledore could be. "You stopped writing. You stopped visiting. It's been almost thirty years since you left us on that hill, what did you expect Ellen?"

"Sometimes...sometimes I forget that the years are so long to humans." She admitted. "I close my eyes for a moment and a chunk of your lives are gone. But I want to do better, I want to _be_ better. Will you give me that chance, old friend?"

"A wise woman once told me that love is the most powerful magic that we have." Albus looked at her with piercing blue eyes. "It took me a great many years to see that she meant all love, even the love of a friend."

Ellen laughed sharply and lunged forward to wrap her arms around him in a tight hug. Albus grasped her shoulders and pulled her closer, allowing her to first intimate human contact that she'd had for several decades past. They had reached the crossroad and taken the right path. It might be one full of strife and misfortune, but it was one that they were going to traverse together.

She squeezed him tightly. "Mister Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, I think you might be the only true friend that I have in this world."

He knew, as he held her close, that those words were true. In that moment Albus looked past the eternally young face, past the impossible powers that ran beneath her skin; what laid at her core was a sad girl that was alone in the world, without the family that her very being craved to be surrounded by. He murmured to her, afraid to frighten her away with anything louder. "Ellen, who are you truly?"

"Ah," She understood what it was that he was asking. "My name was Neah, the fourteenth child."

"The Destruction of Noah."

"The very same." Ellen felt tears prickle at her eyes, but they would never fall. Her eyes had dried out the day that she lost her Innocence, her husband, her family, _her world_. "Don't let me destroy you too."

Albus smiled down at her. "You wouldn't."

"But I could."

"Ah, I suppose you could...I suppose you could."

He left that clearing hours later, the light of a heavenly gate lighting his way to the road back to Hogwarts. Albus whistled cheerfully as he walked, his want lit with _Lumos_. He hoped that it wouldn't be another thirty years before he saw his dear friend again.

After all, she promised to come back.

* * *

 **1978**

* * *

Ellen cracked her neck loudly as she stepped out of the dusty fireplace, brushing ash and soot off of her robes. Why, oh why, had she decided to wear white robes on a day when she knew she was going to Floo somewhere? The Noah was a damn fool, that was for sure.

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, you need to clean this fireplace more." She complained as she tried to get the smudge marks off of her shoulder. "You'd think being a fancy Headmaster would mean keeping everything neat!"

Her friend chuckled deeply from where he was sitting at his desk. "I see America has treated you well, dear Ellen."

She scrunched her nose up before tossing her outer robe over a chair and shook the ash out of her shoulder length hair. "The yanks are loud and have no concept of personal space. They haven't changed since they were pitiful little colonies!"

"I'll take your word for that." Albus smiled kindly, motioning for her to sit. "Please, we have much to discuss."

Ellen all but tossed herself down on the cushy chair that he had conjured, doing her best to stave off the exhaustion that international Floos tended to cause. Sure, they were convenient, but at what cost? She watched as Albus pulled out several files, all with varying levels of thickness, and set them in front of her one by one. Ellen reached out and grabbed the thickest one, resisting the urge to groan when the first page was a file on England's newest dark lord, Voldemort.

The man had created a following that could be compared to Grindewald's in its zealotry, if not less organized. The Death Eaters were much more chaotic than Grindelwald's army had ever been. Gellert, as twisted and evil as he was, had a defined goal and was willing to do whatever he needed to do to reach that goal. This Voldemort seemed to want nothing more than just to plunge the world into turmoil. His attacks were targeted at Muggles and Muggleborns mostly, following a dogma of blood purity.

The files on the Death Eaters as an organization as a whole were much smaller than Voldemort's file. They covered more of their attack patterns and the identifying features of the organization. It wasn't much to look at and Ellen breezed through it before she really thought about it.

However, the last file was the smallest yet the most curious.

 _Tom Riddle_.

He'd been a student at Hogwarts during the 1940's, an orphan living in London during the time of the Blitz. Tom had excelled as a student, excellent grades, a medal for service to the school; he'd held positions as Prefect and Head Boy as well as scoring exceptionally well on his OWLs and NEWTs. Yet, he'd all but disappeared after he'd graduated. It seemed like Tom took a job at Borgin and Burke's as a shop assistant, something he was far overqualified for, before disappearing into thin air. He hadn't been seen or heard from in years except for his denied application to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts itself.

Ellen stacked the files back up and slid them over to Albus. She took a deep breath before staring across at him. "Voldemort and his followers, I understand why you wanted me to look over them. He's becoming a serious threat and something must be done before we have another Grindelwald. But why, why Tom Riddle? Who is he in the grand scheme of this?"

"I have...reason to believe that Tom Riddle is Voldemort." Albus admitted. "I knew there was something off about Tom the first time that I met him. In my blind hope, I looked past his peculiarities and past actions to give him a fair chance in the world. However, as he grew older, he became crueler, more cunning. I watched as he charmed those around him and formed a following of his own during his years at this school. I believe that following is what we call the Death Eaters now."

"Does anyone else know of your suspicions?" She leaned forward with a frown. "Who do we trust?"

Albus hesitated for a second, a dangerous sparkle in his eyes. "I have formed a group of trustworthy individuals that are willing to stand against the Death Eaters. We are called the Order of the Phoenix."

"A secret order? How very daring of you Albie."

"You know why I asked you to come here, do not make me ask." He thinned his lips. "Can I count on you, old friend?"

She sighed and leaned back into the cushy seat. "Am I even welcome? Your precious little Ministry _did_ just label me as a Beast."

"If anyone has a problem with what you are, they are welcome to leave." Albus reached across the desk and wrapped his hand around her wrist, rubbing her pulse with his thumb in the way that had always soothed her. "Ellen, you are my dearest friend. Do not doubt for a moment that I will not defend you until my last breath."

Ellen laughed sharply but nodded. "I'll give it a chance. But first sign of a fight over what I am, I'm out the door."

"I would not expect anything different."

She rose with him and walked over to the Floo, her ruined white cloak back in place on her shoulders. As they stood in the cramped fireplace together, Albus leaned down and whispered in her ear quietly, the brilliantly green Floo powder held tightly in his hand. "The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is located at..."

The location was said so quietly that she could barely hear it before they were travelling through the Floo, Ellen shrieked in surprise and clung to her friend's arm so that she did not get swept away in the magic of it all. They landed with a thud in an even sootier fireplace than the one in Albus's office, something that Ellen had not thought possible. There was a snarky remark at the tip of her tongue died as she met the stares of the fifteen plus people that sat in a group, staring at them.

It was a strange mix of people. They were among every age group, from ones as old as Albus to a group that looked like they were not much older than eighteen years old. But they all had the same type of burning determination in their eyes, the same stern squaring away of their shoulders. From the moment that she laid eyes on them she could tell that this was a group of people that were willing to fight for something that they believed in with a burning passion.

Albus gently nudged her out of the fireplace to stand in front of them. "Greetings to all." said Albus, a kind smile on his face. "I would like you to meet the newest member of the Order of the Phoenix, one of the last existing children of the Clan of Noah, and my oldest friend, Miss Ellen Walker."

"Erm, hello?" She waved hesitantly. "It's nice to meet you?"

The group murmured their greetings, staring at her with caution in their eyes as she took a seat next the the group of younger looking people. She really couldn't blame them for not trusting her right way. There was a war going on after all and she was nothing more than a stranger to them at the moment. As she made herself comfortable Albus began to drone on about the information he had presented to her in the files in his usual long winded way of speaking. Honestly, she loved her friend dearly but he loved his storytelling.

She slowly drowned his words out, taking the time to observe those around her. The group she'd chosen to sit by was curiously young, young enough that they couldn't have been out of Hogwarts for longer than a few years if even that much. They were obviously a tight knit group of friends from the way that they huddled together, brows furrowed in worry as they took in all that Albus was telling them. Sitting the furthest away from her was a mousy looking boy, his round cheeks and squinty eyes pinched tightly as he fidgeted in his chair. It was easy to see how anxious he was about the entire ordeal, as he constantly wrung his hands together. They were either twisting over themselves or running through his thin dirty blonde hair, creating even more of a mess than before.

The boy to the nervous lad seemed as if he was his polar opposite. He was almost unfair in how beautiful he was, long black curls framing his delicate, aristocratic face. Grey eyes carefully watched Albus as he spoke, yet the mischievous quirk to his lips never quite seemed to disappear. He was of wizarding blood, it was easy to tell from the way he carried himself, the ease of which he sat among the magical items in the home as if he had always been surrounded by him. But his worn leather jacket and torn Muggle band tee screamed the opposite. Ellen stared at him for a moment more before her eyes fell on the couple next to him.

It was obvious that they were a couple, as intertwined as they were. The two never seemed to take their hands off of each other out of what must have been fear of loss. He was bright, that was the only way that she could describe him. Everything about him was messy and bright, from his tousled hair to the glasses that seemed as if they would slip off of his nose at any sudden movement. Still, there was a warm aura to him and Ellen couldn't help but be drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

The woman was equally so. She had a shock of scarlet hair cascading down her back and in front of her face, though Ellen could still see a pair of gleaming green eyes peeking out from underneath her lashes. She was a Muggleborn, there was no denying that. To one that knew what to look for, it was obvious how unused she still was around copious amounts of magic. She looked at the items in the home with a sense of wonder and curiosity that a pureborn wizard would never would.

The last boy, the one sitting directly beside her was the one that caught her interest though. From the moment she sat down and caught a glimpse of his soft yellow eyes, her breath caught in her chest. For a moment, just a moment she could hear her heart whispering it, what she longed for the most. Noah. But his eyes were too kind to hold the knowledge of the Clan of Noah and the yellow hue too soft to be the same sickly shade of the ones that she had so desperately loved. His were the color of a harvest moon rising over the hills, haunting and beautiful. Ellen couldn't look away from him. She gently traced every part of his appearance, from his light brown hair falling into his eyes, the kind curl of his lips, to the tiny scars that speckled his face. His eyes had the beginnings of dark bags underneath them that she wanted to reach out and sweep away. There was something about him that made her want to get closer, to bask in the gentle light of the warmth that he gave off. For the first time in over a century she could feel the nervous tendrils of attraction curling in her stomach, butterflies _(-Teez-Tyki-Joyd-)_ she wanted to call them.

He must have noticed her staring because he glanced over at her with a shy smile, offering his hand to shake as he whispered an introduction. "Remus Lupin, pleasure to meet you."

"E-Ellen Walker. But you already knew that." Oh, her heart definitely skipped a beat that time.

Remus chuckled quietly, leaning back to be closer to her. "Fancy meeting another Beast here."

"Oh?" She quirked a brow up. "Is that so?"

"Werewolf." His smile was a little tighter, a defensive glint in his eyes. "Can't say I've ever met a child of Noah."

"Ah, a lycanthrope. It explains the eyes I guess," said Ellen. "Consider yourself lucky, most of the Clan is not as nice as I am."

He leaned in even more. "Are they all as pretty as you are?"

Ellen giggled despite herself, slapping a hand over her mouth when the sound caught the attention of Remus's friends. Her cheeks felt hot and she just knew there was a bright red flush spread across her face. It took everything in her not to groan in exasperation. How she had always hated how expressive her face could be! It always revealed her true feelings. Remus just chuckled to himself and leaned back forward, his eyes trained on Albus in concentration.

She looked ahead and met her old friend's brilliant blue eyes. There was a twinkle of satisfaction in them underneath the serious mask that was firmly in place. Ellen looked back and forth between Albus and the younger group she was sitting near, realization dawning on her quickly. Albus had planned this out and how clever it was. Not only had the man managed to draw her back from across the pond but he had surrounded her with people that were 'her age' that were just interesting enough to hold her attention for a short period of time. Albus had always been a clever, sneaky man.

The meeting was called to an end before she knew it, everyone rising to chat amongst themselves. Ellen hovered at the edge of her seat, for once unsure of what she should do. Albus was caught in a deep conversation with an older witch, her Scottish brogue apparent from across the room. She sighed to herself. Perhaps it would do best for her to leave and find a place to stay before it got too late. Hesitantly, she stood to walk past Remus and his friends when she felt a strange hand wrap around her wrist and pull.

Then the world went to shit.

Ellen's instincts went wild, eyes flashing gold as her skin bled to gray. She pulled away with a wild shriek whipping out her own wand to defend herself from whoever had just touched her. But there was nothing and no one behind her, just air. Her wand fell to the ground with a clatter as she looked to the ground in shame, unable to meet the distrustful stares of the Order.

What a fool she had been, to think that a creature like her could ever really belong among the humans. Had she not learned her lesson with the last Order she'd been involved with?

Before she could apologize the red-haired girl reached out and yanked at thin air, startling everyone when the boy with glasses was revealed. The girl gathered what looked like a cloak in her arms before pointing her wand at him. "James Potter, that was a nasty prank! Look what you've done, you've scared the poor girl to death!"

The newly dubbed James Potter at least had the decency to look sheepish as he was scolded. He turned to Ellen quickly. "Sorry, I didn't think it would frighten you so much."

"I-" Ellen started before the girl interrupted her.

"You knew it would scare her, you big lump!" the girl snapped. "We aren't at Hogwarts anymore, you can't go around pranking everyone you please!"

"Really, it's fine!" protested Ellen. "I should have had a better grip on myself, honestly I should apologize to you. I know my form can be…unnerving."

The girl turned to Ellen, her bright green piercing through her. "No need for that, you've done nothing wrong. It's really our fault for not keeping an eye on James here. I'm Lily, Lily Evans, by the way."

"Ellen." She murmured. "Honestly, I'm used to it. I am a…well, you know what I am."

"A person." Lily said softly. "You're a person and it was a cruel prank to pull when you were obviously so nervous about meeting everyone."

Ellen felt her heart ache a little. Here was this witch, this muggleborn witch at that, looking at her with acceptance in her eyes. She knew what Ellen was, hell, all of the wizarding world knew about the Noah after that blasted Scamander boy had gone and published everything Ellen had shared with him. This girl, this Lily, she knew what Ellen was capable of, but she looked like she…didn't care?

She watched as Lily held out her hand, an offering. An offering of friendship, of acceptance, of the possibility to be more than just a Noah. Ellen looked down at the offered hand with hesitant golden eyes.

Then she took it.

Albus watched from across the room, a twinkle in his eyes as Ellen was pulled under Lily Evan's wing. Perhaps she would be alright after all.

* * *

 **1981**

* * *

Ellen Walker was a fool of a woman.

She was a fool that had convinced herself that she somehow belonged in the wizarding world. It was ridiculous of her to ever think that. This had all been a mistake. She should have never allowed herself to get close to this. She shouldn't have allowed herself to care about any of them. Their lives were so short, a blink of an eye in the face of the eternity that Ellen had left on this earth. She would see the end of it all and they would long be dust in the wind before that happened.

What was she doing? Allowing herself to play house with a human? Everything she held so dear to her heart was temporary. The sly, slick voice in her mind whispered softly to her, poisoning her mind. _Joyd was right. You're not meant for the humans._

Everything had happened so fast. What was meant to be a short visit to the Longbottom's house had ended in fire and tears, a path of destruction left in Ellen's wake. Her friends, her dear kind friends, tortured by the Death Eaters. She'd seen them off to St. Mungo's, but it was easy for anyone to see the damage that had been done. The brilliant lights behind their eyes had dimmed, the things that made Alice and Frank themselves were gone. Stolen. All for the sake of a war that was not hers to fight.

She was moving before she knew what was happening. Everything that belonged to her in her and Remus's shared home when flying into the air, shoving themselves into bags at her direction. There was no way that she could stay here. Not to watch them all die.

Oh, how this was going to break Remus's heart.

Ellen supposed that this should have been a more difficult decision to make. These wizards had become family to her in the few short years that she had been around them. They'd looked at her and seen her for what she was and took her into their fold anyways. She'd found a home with them, found a love that she could almost convince herself was going to last.

It hurt how much this reminded her of her flight from the Clan. There would be no chance or time for goodbyes, just an empty room and the whisper of her regrets left behind.

No, no, _no._ She had to be different this time. She had to be better. They deserved better from her.

She penned her letters with dry, bloodshot eyes and shaking hands. None of the letters were long or overly emotional. She simply told them the truth. Never again would Ellen sit there and watch her friends wither and die before her eyes. She wouldn't give herself the chance to see their lives stolen from them the way that Alice and Frank's were. She wrote how much they all meant to her, told them how they had taught her that she still was more than some disgusting Beast and that she was worthy of love and respect. That she would never forget them, even after the world around them had turned to dust and she was alone to float among the stars. They had touched her heart in a way that no one had before.

She grabbed her bags and the letters and walked over to the floo, hesitation written across her face. No matter what, there was one person that she couldn't leave without saying goodbye to his face.

The fireplace in Albus's office was as soot covered as it always was, but Ellen didn't have it in her to complain. Not when her oldest friend was sitting so quietly at his desk, the remains of tears drying on his wrinkled skin. He looked so small in that moment that she could not help but drop everything to wrap her arms around him, just as she had when he was still a child. They held each other tightly as he wept tears for the both of them, tears that Ellen could not cry.

Albus pulled away from her, the evidence of his grief still stained across his face. "You're to leave again, aren't you?"

"Am I that easy to read?" She laughed bitterly.

"You don't fit in this world yet. I know you, Miss Ellen, you aren't meant to be tied down." He said softly. "I thought, perhaps, now was the right time but it is not. There will be a time when you return to our world and then you will fit, but not now."

"I can't just leave them, Albie, but…"

"But you must."

"But I must." She admitted. "It's funny, isn't it? As good as I am at running, I can never run from you."

He gently wiped his face with the sleeve of his robes. "They'll be hurt by this, you understand that."

Ellen sighed. "I would be surprised if they weren't...I just, I can't watch them die Albus. Frank and Alice, they might still be alive, but the people we loved are dead. I looked into their eyes and there was _nothing_. I can't sit and watch that happen to any of them. I wouldn't recover from it."

"Where will you go now?"

"I won't go far." She leaned against him, her arms still wrapped around his neck. "I signed up to fight in your war and I won't leave you all to die. I'll just...stick to the shadows. It's where something like me belongs. After that? Who knows? I might go back to America. You know how much I loved New York City."

He fell back into her embrace with a sad smile. "I must ask you again, will you write to me? Don't forget your old friend on your next adventure."

"Oh, I could never forget you Mister Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." Ellen murmured. "The world could end and my last thoughts would still be of the curious little boy I met on a hill. I love you dearly Albus, more than you will ever know."

"And I, you."

Ellen laughed to herself, a hollow and broken sound. That was as close as she would get on that day. "Goodbye, old friend."

She set her letters on his desk and pressed a kiss to his wrinkled forehead, soothing the worried frown on his face with her thumb before stepping away. With bags in hand, she stepped into the Floo and faced him one final time. Brilliant, beautiful blue eyes stared at her from across the room as she whispered her destination. Green flames overtook her vision and she was gone, only ash left where she had once stood.

Ellen Walker was gone, and she never planned to return.

* * *

 **1995**

* * *

...Dark nails tapped rhythmically against the bar countertop. The girl let out a deep sigh, scanning the room once more. "Honestly," the Noah muttered to herself, "you'd think he'd have the bloody courtesy to show up on time."

"I think you will find that I am perfectly on time, dear Ellen."

Ellen Walker turned around with a grin made of broken glass and steel, her heart warm as she embraced her oldest and dearest friend.

She was back.

* * *

 _ **fin.**_

* * *

Please enjoy the absolute monster that took over my life this summer and stole all of the attention that I should have been paying to _A Vision in Grey_. This may turn into a series of drabbles and other backstories for the Monochrome Series, but who knows honestly.

I hope you enjoyed this little view into Ellen and Albus's past! Please let me know what you think and review, even if it's only to yell at me for writing 12k of trash when I should have been updating :)

Thank you 3


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